Online Casino News: Betfred Upgrade, Israel Opens Up

It was a quiet week in the world of online casino gaming but there were a few key stories worth noting. Here is a look at some online casino news from around the world over the past week.

Betfred Partners With Realistic Games

The online players at Betfred will be using new software in the near future as the website reached a deal with Realistic Games. Realistic opened in 2002 and is powering through the world of iGaming as they have partnerships with several big-name sites such as Bet365, Paddy Power and Ladbrokes. Realistic Games is based in the United Kingdom and they will supply Betfred with software for every medium - including desktops, mobile phones and tablets - and they will bring a massive array of online slots to the table. Their game, Fireworks, was on the shortlist for Game of the Year, and they have plenty more where that came from. The partnership between Betfred and Realistic Games should benefit both companies, but most importantly, the players of the sportsbook.

Israel Approves Online Lotteries, Games

Israel has continued their progressive stance on online gaming as they recently decided to allow their citizens to play online lotteries and other games such as Keno. Minister of Finance Mashe Kahlon and the Israeli National Lottery made the agreement on the grounds that no area with a socio-economic rating lower than six will be eligible for these games, but the National Lottery has to take their "luck" games out of lottery kiosks. This is a bit of a turnaround from Minister Kahlon, who was absolutely against gambling as recently as June of last year. One thing that helped smooth the transition was the fact that the proceeds from the new games will go to the creation of new sports stadiums, along with charities and other programs.

This will be the deal until 2021 and can be revisited for extension at that point. This is a start, but there is still a long way to go before online betting is fullly allowed in Israel.

CES Showcases Tech to Enhance Online Casino Experience

There has been a lot of different intriguing new tech on display at CES 2017 and many experts are expecting it to improve the online gambling experience. Much of the technology on display has been focused on improved displays, which is key for online gamblers. Virtual reality is expected to be a big hit in the coming years as players will be able to play online from the comfort of their own home while having a fully immersive experience. One of the coolest displays at CES was LG's 216-screen setup in a tunnel-like setting. Many people are already clamoring about how this may change the perspective of those either gaming online - to provide almost a stadium-like experience - or create a new setting for those watching eSports or poker tournaments.

Razer had an interesting concept with Project Ariana, which is a projector that you would use with whatever you use to display things now (a television, a computer monitor, etc.). It has a 155-degree fish-eye lens, two 3D cameras and other images that will give the player an inclusive feeling as if they are right there in the action.